29th June 2008, 12:02 pm
Agence France-Presse | Jun 27, 2008
Defence Talk
WASHINGTON: The United States has removed its nuclear arsenal in Britain, ending its half-century deployment there and reducing its European nuclear deployment to six locations in five countries, a report said.
The withdrawal follows the removal of nuclear weapons from the Ramstein Air Base in Germany in 2005 and Greece in 2001, according to the The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) Strategic Security Blog, citing unidentified sources.
Continue reading ‘US withdraws nuclear bombs from Britain’ »
29th June 2008, 10:05 am
By ILYA KRAMNIK, UPI Outside View CommentatorPublished: June 23, 2008 at 11:24 AM
MOSCOW, June 23 (UPI) — Last year, the three nations with the world’s biggest military expenses were the United States — $547 billion, Britain — $59.7 billion, and the People’s Republic of China — $58.3 billion.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute — SIPRI — published these figures in its 2008 annual report. There are other estimates, but they are not radically different. Many research organizations and the media tend to base their comparison of countries’ military might on their defense budgets, although their estimates are often disputed, sometimes by the objects of their studies.
Although such comparisons are very relative, they are a point of departure for analyzing the military potentials of different countries. Reports of international institutions that study the strategy and national military potentials, such as the London-based International Institute of Strategic Studies — IISS — and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, are considered the most accurate.
Only recently, the defense budget of the People’s Republic of China was a little over $20 billion. What stands behind its leap in military expenses? What war machine will it have in the future? Many countries, above all China’s next-door neighbors, are interested in answers to these questions.
The growing economy is the main catalyst of China’s boosting military potentials. Its industrialized export-oriented economy — China is increasingly becoming the world’s producer of absolutely everything — from man-made flowers to cars — requires adequate military protection.
Continue reading ‘Outside View: China’s weapons’ »
27th June 2008, 01:49 am
By LOREN B. THOMPSON
Published: June 26, 2008 at 12:39
ARLINGTON, Va., June 26 (UPI) — As U.S. Air Force planners struggle to balance their final budget request for this disappointing decade, it is becoming increasingly apparent that many of the service’s planes will require the aerospace equivalent of geriatric care for the foreseeable future.
Despite all its talk about revitalizing America’s military, the Bush administration has failed to arrest the decline of U.S. air power, passing on to its successors a decrepit fleet that is grounded or flight-restricted much of the time.
Keeping this fleet airworthy requires continuous, massive infusions of money and manpower. The service expects to spend a billion dollars per week in fiscal 2010 on fuel, spare parts, repairs and technical support — and that doesn’t even include the paychecks for military personnel performing such functions.
Much of this cost is the inevitable consequence of operating a diverse fleet of 6,000 high-tech planes around the world on a daily basis, including those committed to ongoing military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But there is little doubt the budgetary burden of sustainment would be more bearable if the Clinton and Bush administrations had done a better job of replacing aging aircraft. Instead, the U.S. Air Force will enter the second decade of the new millennium with 500 Eisenhower-era Boeing KC-135 tankers averaging 50 years of age, 300 Lockheed Martin C-130 transports exceeding 40 years of age, and Vietnam-vintage Boeing McDonnell-Douglas F-15 Eagle fighters that are literally falling out of the sky.
Continue reading ‘Thompson Files: Aging USAF fleet’ »
27th June 2008, 12:20 am
Global Security
WHITE SANDS, N.M., June 24, 2008 /PRNewswire/ — The U.S. Navy successfully conducted the first test of the Standard Missile 6 extended range anti-air warfare missile produced by Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN).
The missile, launched from the Navy’s Desert Ship at the White Sands Missile Range, successfully intercepted a BQM-74 aerial drone using the newly developed SM-6 active seeker. The active seeker autonomously acquired and engaged the target using the Navy’s legacy command system, resulting in a direct hit. This launch demonstrates the first successful integration of the Navy’s active missile technology into the weapon system to provide for both near-term advanced anti-air warfare and future over-the-horizon capability.
Continue reading ‘US Navy Conducts First Test of Raytheon’s Standard Missile 6’ »
27th June 2008, 12:13 am
Written on June 26, 2008 – 7:26 pm | by FIDSNS |
Frontier India, Defense & Strategic News
In a ceremony presided over by His Majesty Juan Carlos I, King of Spain, Airbus Military has today rolled out the first complete A400M military transport aircraft from the Final Assembly Line facility in Seville, Spain.
Continue reading ‘First A400M Military Transporter Rolled Out’ »
25th June 2008, 03:09 am
6-24-08 12:17 PM EDT | E-mail Article | Print Article
Morning Star
ANKARA (AFP)–Turkey and Italy launched Tuesday a project for the joint manufacture of up to 91 attack helicopters for the Turkish military, worth about $3 billion.
The project, which envisages the co-production of 50 helicopters with an option for another 41, will be led by Turkey’s TUSAS, with another Turkish firm, Aselsan, and Italy’s AgustaWestland joining as sub-contractors.
Continue reading ‘Turkey, Italy Launch Attack Helicopter Project’ »
23rd June 2008, 12:09 am
Jun 19, 2008
Defence Talk
The UK was the top global defence exporter in 2007, winning a UK record £10 billion ($19bn) of new business and a 33% market share, according to figures announced by UK Trade & Investment’s Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) today.
Commenting on the figures, Lord Digby Jones, Minister for Trade and Investment said, “As demonstrated by this outstanding export performance, the UK has a first class defence industry, with some of the world’s most technologically sophisticated companies. Along with colleagues in UKTI DSO, I look forward to working with the defence sector in future to ensure its continued success.”
The Middle East and North America remained the UK’s most profitable regional markets, with Saudi Arabia and the USA respectively the top customers. Orders for Typhoon in Saudi Arabia and Offshore Patrol vessels for Oman and Trinidad and Tobago played an important part in this year’s success.
Continue reading ‘2007 Market Review: UK Top Global Defense Exporter’ »
22nd June 2008, 11:55 pm
Online International News Network
ISLAMABAD: India will induct 12,000-tonne Akula-II class nuclear-powered attack submarine into its Naval fleet by December 2009. India will take nuclear submarine on 10 years lease in accordance with secrete agreement amounting to $650-million stuck between India and Russia.
Violating International laws, the submarine would be armed with Agni-III and Cruise missile having range between 1,000 to 5,000 kilometers.
After inducting submarine into Indian fleet, India would have capability to easily target areas of interior Sindh and Gwadar and it would also mount pressure on Pakistan navy with regard to Indian ocean, a high level officers of Pakistan Navy told Online.
Pakistan is also installing inclusive system in Augusta 90 submarines and as a result of this the speed and performance of these submarines would be enhanced.
Continue reading ‘India to get nuclear powered attack submarine in 2009’ »
22nd June 2008, 11:44 pm
The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Jun 22, 2008 17:14:12 EDT
Military Times
GROTON, Conn. — The Navy invoked the war on terrorism Saturday as it christened its newest attack submarine. The New Hampshire was christened by the widow of a pilot who was killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. “I believe I’m looking at heroes,” Cheryl McGuinness, of Portsmouth, N.H., said, looking at the ship’s crew. “You all are my heroes.”
Her husband, Thomas McGuinness, was co-pilot of American Airlines Flight 11, which was flown into the World Trade Center’s North Tower.
The 7,800-ton, 337-foot submarine was built by General Dynamic’s Electric Boat and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. “She’s a living, breathing soul who will provide a home to her crew,” said Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn. His eastern Connecticut district includes the Electric Boat shipyard.
Continue reading ‘USA: New Hampshire christened as newest attack sub’ »
22nd June 2008, 02:23 pm
WASHINGTON, June 16 (UPI) — Imagine a bizarre scenario in which the president of the United States had to ask permission from foreign leaders to use a critical missile-defense system, starting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and ending, hat in hand, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.
Until recently, that scenario was fancifully unimaginable. The United States has long been the global leader in such vital areas as aerospace and defense electronics. Unimaginable, that is, until now.
Indeed, a recent U.S. Air Force decision may augur the advent of this kind of alternate reality. By using questionable criteria that disadvantage U.S. manufacturers to unfairly award a huge, militarily critical contract to the European Aeronautics, Defense and Space Co. — the aerospace giant controlled by France and Germany — the U.S. Air Force actually could be unwittingly undermining the very industrial base that has defended the United States, Western Europe and much of the free world since the end of World War II more than 60 years ago.
Continue reading ‘Outside View: EADS tanker woes’ »
22nd June 2008, 12:43 am
Patrick Walters, National security editor | June 21, 2008
The Australian
DEFENCE Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has dumped a $300 million plan to fit anti-submarine torpedoes to the navy’s Seahawk helicopters and the RAAF’s AP3 Orion surveillance aircraft.
The European MU90 lightweight torpedo is being fitted to the navy’s Anzac and FFG-class frigates, but the airborne phase of the $616 million project is now considered a high-risk integration challenge by the Government.
“I am pleased that we have been able to make the MU90 work off the navy’s warships,” Mr Fitzgibbon said. “However, I was not prepared to follow the previous government’s practice of gambling with taxpayers’ money by proceeding with the allocation of $300million to fit the torpedo to various aircraft while doubt remained that it would work properly in that role.”
Continue reading ‘Australia: Integration doubts sink $300m torpedo project’ »
18th June 2008, 11:38 pm
GAO recommends new competition for 179-plane deal
Marine Corps Times
By Gayle S. Putrich - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jun 18, 2008 16:50:21 EDT
The top U.S. government watchdog agency sided with Boeing on Wednesday in a dispute of the $35 billion Air Force tanker contract that went to Northrop Grumman and European partner EADS in February.
The Government Accountability Office recommended that the Air Force conduct a new competition for the 179-plane deal after finding that the service did not treat Boeing fairly during the contest and that a variety of costs for both aircraft were not properly considered.
“Our review of the record led us to conclude that the Air Force made a number of significant errors that could have affected the outcome of what was a close competition between Boeing and Northrop Grumman,” Michael Golden, GAO’s lead counsel for procurement matters, said in a statement.
Continue reading ‘Boeing protest of tanker decision upheld’ »
18th June 2008, 11:36 pm
18 Jun 2008 | 04:54 AM ET
CNBC
PARIS (Thomson Financial) - France is negotiating deals for the first foreign sales of some 100 Rafale combat jets, President Nicolas Sarkozy’s chief of staff said Wednesday.
“Finally, after 23 years, we are going to sell some Rafale,” Claude Gueant, the secretary general of the Elysee Palace, told Europe 1 radio. “France is in negotiations and we have strong hopes of selling about one hundred Rafale,” he said.
Continue reading ‘France in talks on sale of 100 Rafale jets’ »
18th June 2008, 12:13 am
Russia will drive a hard bargain in renegotiating the price of an aircraft carrier the Indian Navy has purchased and for which Moscow is seeking $1.2 billion over and above the $1.5 billion that had been agreed on, the country’s envoy here says.
India PR Wire
New Delhi, Delhi, India, 2008-06-17 20:45:03
Russia will drive a hard bargain in renegotiating the price of an aircraft carrier the Indian Navy has purchased and for which Moscow is seeking $1.2 billion over and above the $1.5 billion that had been agreed on, the country’s envoy here says.
And, in a clear indication that the defence ties between the two countries were not what they were, Ambassador Vyacheslav I. Trubnikov hedged his bets on transferring technology for the T-90 main battle tank and for the cryogenic engine of the BrahMos cruise missile that India and Russia have jointly developed.
Trubnikov was addressing a press conference after inaugurating a swanky Russian Information Centre here Tuesday.
Continue reading ‘Russia to drive hard bargain for aircraft carrier’ »
18th June 2008, 12:00 am
Ajai Shukla / New Delhi June 17, 2008, 0:20 IST
Business Standard
India’s Arjun tank is fighting its first battle even before it enters service with the army. The Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) and key Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials, confident that the Arjun is superior to the army’s Russian T-72 and T-90 tanks, are demanding “comparative trials”, where the Arjun, the T-72 and the T-90 are put through endurance and firing trials in identical conditions.
But the army — particularly the nodal Directorate General of Mechanised Forces (DGMF) — is shying away. Earlier, the DGMF declared that the T-72 and T-90 were proven tanks, which needed no further trials.
Now, with the MoD adding its voice to the demand for comparative trials, the DGMF has told Business Standard that they must be put off until the army gets a full squadron of Arjun tanks (14 tanks) and absorbs the expertise to use them.
DRDO sources say the army is stonewalling on accepting the Arjun by demanding levels of performance that neither of its Russian tanks can deliver. Meanwhile, more T-90s are being imported from Russia on the plea that the army is falling short of tanks.
Continue reading ‘Arjun versus T-90: Army avoiding trials’ »
17th June 2008, 01:21 am
Needing a boost after a negative report leak, Lockheed Martin tested a prototype of its latest Joint Strike Fighter for the Marines today—a supersonic F-35 that lands like a chopper (with super lift engines) and thinks like a pilot (with a HAL-esque brain).
Popular Mechanics
By Joe Pappalardo
Published on: June 11, 2008
The skies over Fort Worth, Texas, hosted a historic aviation milestone today when the most expensive plane on Earth—a modded version of the F-35 Lightning II that lands vertically like a helicopter—made its first flight. Its pilot certainly had the chops to do the job: He learned to fly short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL) airplanes when Jimmy Carter was president.
Continue reading ‘World’s Priciest Stealth Plane Takes First Run to Vertical Landing’ »
17th June 2008, 12:17 am
By Lt. Jacob Steele, Commander, Destroyer Squadron 40 Public Affairs
Released: June 15, 2008
Story Number: NNS080613-04
Commander Submarine Group Seven
CALLAO, Peru (NNS) — U.S. Navy forces teamed up with their Peruvian Navy counterparts June 12, to begin the bilateral anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise, Silent Forces Exercise (SIFOREX) 2008.
The exercise, led by Destroyer Squadron 40 (DESRON 40) and hosted by the Peruvian submarine force in Callao, will involve the guided-missile destroyers USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98), USS Farragut (DDG 99), the guided-missile Frigate USS Kauffman (FFG-59), two SH-60B helicopters, and four Peruvian Type 209 diesel submarines, training together over a six-day period.
SIFOREX, which focuses exclusively on anti-submarine warfare (ASW), is the longest such exercise in which the U.S. units will participate this year.
Continue reading ‘DESRON 40, Peruvian Navy Submarine Force Kick Off Silent Forces Exercise 2008’ »
15th June 2008, 09:37 pm
By LOREN B. THOMPSONPublished: June 10, 2008 at 12:09 PM
ARLINGTON, Va., June 10 (UPI) — If you think having three surface warfare officers in a row at the helm of the U.S. Navy has created a bias in favor of surface combatants, then you must not be paying attention to news about naval shipbuilding.
While a reasonably coherent road map has emerged for replacing Cold War aircraft carriers and submarines, plans for a family of future surface combatants are in disarray. That’s a problem, because surface combatants — frigates, destroyers, cruisers — are the most common types of warship in the modern Navy. A growing chorus of critics is complaining that the failure of service leaders to provide a convincing rationale for next-generation surface combatants is putting the entire fleet modernization plan in jeopardy.
The latest salvo in this ongoing battle was fired June 2 by Christopher P. Cavas of Defense News, arguably the most capable journalist currently covering the U.S. Navy.
Continue reading ‘Thompson Files: Stick with the DDG-51’ »
15th June 2008, 09:33 pm
By WILLIAM S. LIND
Published: June 13, 2008 at 11:36 AM
WASHINGTON, June 13 (UPI) — Robert Doughty’s “Pyrrhic Victory: French Strategy and Operations in the Great War,” published in 2005, completes his trilogy on the French army from 1914 to 1940.
Both of Doughty’s other books, “The Seeds of Disaster,” which is the definitive history of the French army doctrinal development between the wars, and “The Breaking Point,” the story of the French defeat at Sedan in 1940 when the Second and Third Generations of modern war met head on, are in the canon.
For those new to Fourth Generation war — 4GW — literature, the canon is the list of seven books that, read in the correct order, take the reader from the First Generation into the Fourth. It can be found as an appendix to “FMFM 1-A, Fourth Generation War,” on the Defense and the National Interest Web site.
Continue reading ‘Military Matters: Learning from France’ »
15th June 2008, 11:33 am
Digital Chosunilbo
Korea and the U.S. will stage a large-scale joint air exercise on June 16-20, mobilizing some 90 aircraft, including B-52 bombers, E-3 airborne early warning and control aircraft, F-15 and F-16 fighter jets, A-10 ground attack aircraft, and KC-135 refueling tankers.
Continue reading ‘Korea, U.S. to Stage Massive Air Exercise’ »